Women's Premiership: Growing domestic women's game 'left to us' - NIFL CEO Lawlor

Gerard Lawlor says the Northern Ireland Football League is "rowing the boat totally on our own" in the development of women's football in the country.

NIFL's chief executive confirmed that no teams will be relegated from the amateur Women's Premiership this year before a professional move in 2023.

That halts Glentoran's plan to turn professional for the new campaign.

"Professionalism and the development of the domestic ladies' game has very much been left to NIFL," added Lawlor.

"It is not our responsibility to develop and grow a professional league. But it has been left to us."

Reigning champions Glentoran announced in January that captain Jessica Foy had become the first female player to sign a professional contract in the Women's Premiership.

• Foy becomes first paid female player with a club in Northern Ireland

BBC Sport understands several Glentoran players have signed new deals, however, the majority of the Women's Premiership clubs were against paying players for the new season and NIFL decided the league will retain its amateur status in 2022.

Speaking to the BBC, Lawlor said it was "unfair" that NIFL has been tasked to come up with solutions and is frustrated by the lack of input from the Irish FA, football's governing body in Northern Ireland.

"It is not our job to develop the ladies' game, that lies with the governing body," added Lawlor, who said he has had discussions with the IFA and NIWFA.

"We all must sit down, develop the way forward together. I feel some elements of football are not pulling their weight.

"We will run a professional league in NIFL the year after next, but we have a responsibility and a care for the rest of the ladies' game domestically, and I think the domestic ladies game is being ignored at this time."

In response, An Irish FA spokesperson commented that the association is "committed to translating the current success of our senior women's team into greater participation at grassroots level.

"This will in turn help the club game flourish, result in more players coming through the pathway and, ultimately, improving the game for everyone.

"Partners like NIFL and NIWFA are crucial to making this happen. We recognise their contribution today on International Women's Day, and indeed the contribution of everyone working to increase opportunities for women and girls to progress in football across Northern Ireland both on, and off, the pitch."

In January, Glentoran announced that captain Jess Foy had become the first female player to sign a paid professional contract

Lawlor added that NIFL has "limited resources" and said women's football in Northern Ireland is not just about the national team, who will play in a maiden major tournament at Euro 2022 this summer.

"We are willing to play our part but we can't do this on our own," he added.

"There is no use rolling out and praising the ladies' national team, that is not the be all and end all.

"It's not just about getting to the Euros this year, it's about getting to the Euros in the future.

"We need to have honest conversations. Northern Ireland are in the Euros because of the talent from the domestic league and our eight women's teams have all played their part.

"Never forget that our domestic clubs are our bread and butter. It's time we all stand up because we have a responsibility to support them."

Glens criticise 'King Canute' approach

A spokesperson for Glentoran said the delay in allowing professional contracts in the Women's Premiership is "akin to King Canute trying to stop the tide coming in".

The spokesperson criticised fellow clubs who were against the implementation, stating: "It is particularly strange that some of those, who over the years have shouted loudest for equality, have suddenly lost their voices and parked their principles".

While Lawlor praised the treble-winning Glens for trying to develop the game, he stressed the entire league "must go forward together".

The Women's Premiership will expand to eight teams in the 2022 season with Mid Ulster Ladies and Lisburn Ladies being promoted from the NIWFA-run Championship.

NIFL has proposed that the league will retain its amateur status in 2022 before a professional move the following year. Lawlor added the lack of relegation will allow the promoted teams to "get up to speed" and has opened the door for up to two more teams joining the top flight in 2023.

"Glentoran have been very forward-thinking and innovative in their ideas," he said.

"There have been great discussions and we have had some very difficult conversations, to be honest with you, but they have been open, honest and transparent.

"Our clubs have sat down and come to an agreement for the best way forward for the women's game. I believe it is a scenario and proposal that works for everyone.

"Two teams have come into the league this year. To change the goalposts on them would not have been fair. We have decided that we will go forward this year in an amateur league.

"We will introduce professionalism and implement it into the league for the following season. It gives everyone a lead-in time and produces a level playing field."

The majority of the Northern Ireland squad that qualified for Euro 2022 either currently play in the Women's Premiership or featured at some point through the qualification campaign

Lawlor, who became NIFL's CEO in July, added he would like to see all of the NIFL-affiliated men's clubs run women's teams in the future and that holding off on a professional league will be more beneficial in the long term.

"The challenge is we don't stop clubs like Glentoran from progress. We have to work with them, develop them and hold those dreams for them but my job is to bring the other seven teams along with them," he said.

"To say we were doing it this year put too much pressure on so we had to find a compromise. We have found something that everybody is not 100% happy with, but I think there is something in it for us all.

"I can understand why there is disappointment there, but when you look at the bigger picture, it is our want to run a professional women's league.

"Girls have a right to earn a living in football and it is up to us as a league to support member clubs to allow them to be able to do that.

"It's all about development. It is important we don't build anything on quicksand. It's important that over a period of time we can have a competitive league.

"We want to be positive. Rather than saying one club is professional, in a year's time we are going to have the opportunity to make eight teams professional."